1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to equipment for use in marine operations and more particularly to the use of a floating anchor buoy in such operations.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many marine operations make use of floating buoys to indicate subsurface locations of interest or to secure lines of various types at the surface of the water to provide a convenient way of locating and securing these lines. Some buoys may be used as mooring buoys. Mooring buoys are generally semi-permanent or permanent features that float on the surface of the water to mark the location of an anchor. Mooring buoys typically include an anchor chain attached to the anchor. Due to their permanence or semi-permanence, mooring buoys are not generally used to quickly move an anchor.
One particular application for floating buoys, for example, includes securing lines at the surface for the raising and lowering of anchors for marine vessels. Floating anchor buoys are frequently used to mark the surface locations above the anchor and secure a looped line or picking eye for quickly and easily moving the anchor. A cable or wire rope generally extends from the top or securing side of the anchor through the buoy, with a loop or picking eye extending above the surface of the water such that the loop can be easily captured by a vessel to raise and move the anchor to another position.
In general, mooring and floating anchor buoys are formed from heavy steel cylinders or spheres. Modifying these steel structures to receive a looped anchor cable can be difficult, time consuming, and pose some risk of injury to the worker. Splicing or otherwise forming the loop of the wire cable after the cable has passed through the buoy increases the amount of time needed to prepare the buoy for use and can pose a safety risk to persons near the buoy. A floating anchor that can quickly and easily accommodate and secure a looped cable line above the surface of the water would solve many of the disadvantages of prior designs.